The Alabama DOC prohibited its prisoners from receiving gift subscriptions for publications. Inmates were forced to buy subscriptions from their prison trust accounts. In addition, publishers were not notified when their publications were censored. Prison Legal News (PLN), publisher of a monthly newspaper entitled Prison Legal News filed suit in 1999 challenging the practice. The case was settled in 2000 while a ruling was pending on the party's cross motions for summary judgment. Under the terms of the settlement the Alabama DOC changed its policies to allow prisoners to receive subscriptions and to provide notice to the sender if mail was censored.